


Refuse to Say Goodbye

by tnh1722



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Husbands, Injured Alec Lightwood, Kidnapped Alec Lightwood, M/M, Misconceptions of Love from OC, Protective Lightwoods, Protective Magnus Bane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 08:58:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17443832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tnh1722/pseuds/tnh1722
Summary: A delusional, rogue warlock decides to take matters into his own hands when he doesn't know the full story. Alec convinces the warlock to let him live through words rather than actions all while his family is in distress. In the end, love always wins.





	Refuse to Say Goodbye

“Hey, I have a meeting at the Dumort with Raphael and Lily. It should only be about an hour or two,” Alec said as he entered the weapons room. Izzy and Clary were sitting at her work bench while Jace was cleaning his blade at another counter. 

Jace looked up with a smirk at his parabatai and continued to wipe the blade in his hands. “Sweet, that means I’m-”

“Not going to do anything stupid and Isabelle is in charge,” Alec finished for him. Jace pouted making the girls laugh. 

“No problem, big brother. Clary and I have got it under control,” Izzy said before Jace could respond. “Tell Raphael I said hello.” 

Alec nodded and turned to leave when his phone rang. Magnus was calling to see if he wanted to go out for dinner tonight with Cat and Madzie. They spoke for another few minutes until Magnus had a client while Alec made his way to the hotel. 

A few blocks before, he felt a wave of cool air rush through the alley and immediately reached for his bow. He checked his surroundings as he went to grab his phone from his pocket. Alec snapped his head back and raised his bow as he felt an unknown source of magic and then listened for the nearly silent footsteps. Since being with Magnus, he was much more sensitive to any magic and could recognize it without the help of any runes which is odd for a shadowhunter.

“Well, I must say, you do live up to the hype. I’ve heard you are one of the best out there, but I am impressed by your observation skills. Most shadowhunters don’t recognize a magical signature until it smacks them in the face,” a voice came from a nearby doorway. Alec was certain he had never heard the voice before.

“Thank you for those seemingly kind words, however, I find this situation rather threatening so please state your intentions. It will be much easier to avoid the run around if we just get straight to the point. I’m late for a meeting,” Alec said with the most diplomatic, polished tone accompanied by a straight face. 

The warlock’s face grew into an amused smile. “You know, I can almost see why Bane is supposedly into you now? You’ve got some sass.”

Alec rolled his eyes and lowered his bow slightly assuming this was a more conversational confrontation. “I wouldn’t really consider two years of a committed relationship and three years of marriage as ‘being into someone’, but I’ve never been one to speak of my partner as flippantly as some do. All that casual nonsense was never my cup of tea. Again, may I ask what this is about?” 

“Ouch, you really like to hit where it hurts, don’t you? Maybe your attitude will make this easier, not that I really struggled with the decision beforehand.”

“And what decision may that be?” Alec asked, still not registering a major threat but enough to raise his bow slightly and prepare for a fight. 

“Oh, to take you and get rid of you, of course. Magnus Bane is the High Warlock of Brooklyn and you are the Head of the Institute. I am certain that I am not the first person to see through this facade, but I will be the first to act on it. We are past the point of needing political, arranged marriages to quell our society’s hate for each other. His people want him back,” the man said with little remorse and full of intention. 

“You must be mistaken, sir. His people have him as much as I do. Magnus and I chose to marry once the right passed through the Clave. It is in no way political, I love him,” Alec said, lacking all shyness he used to carry. He was proud and out now, not afraid to share himself. 

The warlock scoffed, “That is some impressive acting, shadowhunter, but I know Magnus. He hates shadowhunters, always has. We knew each other well once upon a time and no amount of arrogant charm could pull him over to your side. I intend to help him escape your ridiculous sham of a poster perfect relationship. Shadowhunters may act civil with the Downworld now, but Magnus would never love one.”

“So there are a few things wrong with what you said, but don’t worry, I’ll clear it up for you. One, you knew Magnus, emphasis on knew. People change and Magnus has certainly lived long enough for things to change about him. Secondly, our relationship is far from perfect and we accept that because we love each other. And lastly, the Magnus you knew had every right to hate shadowhunters because they were bigoted and violent and wrong. But times have changed, much like people change and now he likes most shadowhunters that he interacts with, loves a few of them actually.” Alec did not waver or pause at any point in his speech, completely confident in everything he had said. 

“Wow, that actually sounded very genuine. No wonder you are the Head of the Institute, you know exactly what to say to get things to go your way,” the warlock cut back as he called his magic to his fingertips. Alec released two arrows in succession that the warlock waved away with a flash of red magic. “Good aim, you almost got me.” 

Alec moved his bow back and grabbed for his stele when magic rushed towards him again. He moved fluidly and tried to rush the warlock only to be met with some sort of barrier. With a pause and shield between them, Alec took the few seconds he had to activate his speed and strength rune and took off out of the alley. 

“Ah, ah, ah, not so fast, shadowhunter,” the warlock said as another barrier flew up at the end of the alley and Alec’s wrists were bound with some sort of locked cuffs while his legs felt glued to the ground. “Again, I commend you for being quite intelligent. Most nephilim would not think to run, you all have this complex that everything can be beaten with those stupid blades.” 

“You know that kidnapping anyone, especially a leader, from any race within the Shadow World is against the accords, right? There is no way this ends well for you. You can kill me and get some sort of weird gratification out of it, but they will find you. Magnus will find you,” Alec cut back, his tone much darker and angrier than before. He ripped his wrists apart, breaking the cuffs as he tried to free himself from the ground.

“Again, you have impressive strength and that is where you are entirely correct. Magnus will find me and he will thank me for saving him from this societal sham of a marriage. Warlocks are not stupid, we know that the Clave is always out to get us in some way. This misconstrued trust someone displayed between you and him may appease the nephilim, but the warlocks see straight through you! Magnus has always been one to do something for the greater good and this time, his people will save him from it!”

The warlock wrestled with Alec for a few seconds before he was able to administer another set of cuffs bound with an electric shock running through them causing Alec to groan in pain. “You are not winning this one, shadowhunter.” 

Alec rolled his eyes at the obvious delusions running through this man. “Okay then, you say that the warlocks as a whole see it as an arranged marriage. That his people are in this as a collective. Where are all these people then, hm? Because I just see you and for your information, I know quite a few of Magnus’ people. Many were at our wedding, many have dinner at our home with both of us, many are my friends.” 

“Enough!” The warlock threw open a portal and shoved Alec through into a seemingly abandoned apartment. He swept Alec into a chair with such force that he heard a few of his ribs crack. “This is how it ends, shadowhunter. I’m tired of your stalling and lies, any last requests?” 

“I know better than to ask for my life so I just ask that I get to say goodbye to my family,” Alec answered calmly but with a touch of emotion and heaving breath from the pain in his ribs. He was going to drag this on long enough for them to track him. 

“A reasonable request, I suppose. You can call them, but it must be on speaker phone. You don’t get to try and wiggle your way out of this,” the warlock answered as he snapped Alec’s phone into his hand. 

Alec reached out as best he could while restrained and pulled up Izzy’s number. He knew that they would have gathered that something was wrong. Raphael would have called Magnus or Jace would have felt something so he waited for her to pick up. 

“Alec! Where are you, what’s going on?” Izzy asked frantically. As he suspected, they knew something was up. “Raphael called and said you were late and you’re never late. What happened?” 

“Iz, I just got caught up with something. Everything is okay, who is there with you?” Alec responded trying to keep his voice calm, his breaths only a little heavier than normal. 

“All of us, we were worried. Jace, Magnus, Mom, Max, Clary, Raphael is on the phone with Magnus and Simon is on the phone with Clary, Luke is on his way,” Izzy rattled off, the stress not completely gone from her voice because he didn’t give her an actual location of where he was at. 

Alec took as deep of a breath possible and prepared himself to keep the phone call going as long as he could. “Iz, put me on speaker phone, please.”

“Okay, big brother, you’re on speaker,” Izzy said as he heard more voices whispering throughout the room. 

“Clary?” Alec started with her and Simon. 

“Yeah, I’m here, Alec.” 

“I’m proud of you, Clary. You’ve come a long way in the past five years and our friendship is something that I really cherish. You are like another sister to me now. I’m glad that Jace and Izzy have you in their lives too.” 

Jace jumped in at this point, immediately worried by Alec’s sudden affection. “Alec, why does it sound like you are saying goodbye?” 

Alec ignored Jace’s comment and continued. “And Clary, tell Simon that I never hated him. He is as loyal as I am and that is something I appreciate. Tell him to take care of Izzy, I’m so happy that my sister found someone that loves her the way she deserves.” 

“Big brother-”

By this point, Jace, Izzy, and Magnus were on the same page as to what was happening and had started to try tracking him while Alec continued talking. 

“Tell Raphael and Luke that I have always been honored to have their respect as leaders and their friendships as men. They are both incredible people that I have learned so much from.” 

Jace was moving around Alec’s office to find an object with the strongest physical tether to track his brother while they all still listened to what Alec was saying. The warlock gave a motion to Alec to hurry it up as Alec rolled his watery eyes in response.

“Maxie, you are by far the smartest kid I’ve ever met. You make me so proud everyday. I know you’ve had it hard with everything that happened, but you haven’t given up and you’ve grown so much. You already are an amazing shadowhunter and you will only continue to get better. I love you, Max,” Alec said with tears starting to build up and his chest was burning. He was clinging to the hope that they will find him at this point. 

“I love you too, Alec,” Max replied quietly. He let Maryse take his hand as a few tears fell from his eyes. 

“Mama, are you there?”

“Yes, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay,” Maryse answered, reassuring him that whether they found him or not, things would be handled. 

Alec took comfort in that and continued on, stronger than before. “I know we were a bit strained for while back then and it was both of us at fault for not talking to each other, but I want you to know that I am so grateful that we fixed our relationship. I love you, Mom and I can’t tell you how much it helps that you still approve of who I am. It means more than you will ever know.” 

Maryse felt the tears running down her face as Max held her. “I love you, too. I’m so proud of you, I always have been, never forget that.” 

Jace and Magnus had nearly pinpointed where he was, but there were wards around the trace making it difficult to be certain. Clary tried to help while they continued to let Alec speak, all of them realizing at this point that Alec was talking not only because he wanted them to know these things but to give them more time to find him. 

“Hermana,” Alec whispered as his voice caught in his throat. The warlock once again motioned for him to stop and zapped him enough energy to elicit a groan of pain and struggled breaths.

“Alec, are you okay?!”

“I’m good, Iz, it’s alright, just listen. You are and always have been my rock. I know I have a parabatai and I know I have a husband, but there is no way I would have made it through without you, baby sister. You are the best shadowhunter I have ever known, hands down. You are intelligent and strong and independent and just overall badass. There is no one else like you and I am so incredibly proud of you. I love you so much, Isabelle. And if anything happens to me, you have to promise-”

“Nothing is going to happen to you, Alec,” Izzy said back, her voice strong through her tears. 

Alec disregarded her comment and kept going. “If anything happens to me, you have to promise me that you will keep going. That you will take over the Institute. That you will make sure Jace and Magnus keep going.”

“Alec, nothing-”

“Promise me, Iz. I need you to promise that the three of you will not shut people out, that you will be strong for each other. Please…”

“Okay, yes, fine, I promise, but nothing is going to happen! We are going to fix this, Alec,” Izzy answered, her voice much more telling of her emotions now. 

The warlock was getting impatient and had sent a shock through Alec once again who cried out this time. Izzy and Maryse both checked on him while Magnus and Jace were furiously looking through a map as to where these wards would be bouncing off of. 

“Two more, I only have two more, okay?” Alec struggled out to the warlock who huffed in frustration but let him continue. 

“Jace,” Alec said, forcing his voice to be as normal as possible. He had barely held it together with Izzy and now he had to keep going. They had to know in case they couldn’t get to him in time. “Parabatai.” 

“It’s okay, Alec,” Jace whispered back, overcome with emotions as he frantically continued to attempt finding Alec’s exact location with Magnus and Luke. 

“You are not your past. You are not your parents, you are not Valentine, you are not a murderer. You are a brother and a son and a friend and a husband and you are a damn good shadowhunter. That’s what you are. You have taught me more than I could ever thank you for and you have stood by me when nothing was going right. I couldn’t be more happy with who I decided to share my soul with. I love you, J.” 

Alec didn’t hear a response, but he did hear a soft sniffle and a bit of a cough meaning Jace was trying to stop himself from crying out loud. Alec had to gather what little composure he had left for the last one though. His waterline already full of tears and his throat hurt from how choked up he was. He let his chest heave while he worked to catch his breath again. 

“M-Mags…”

“I’m here, darling. I know,” Magnus said back as magic flew from his fingertips trying to break through the wards keeping him out from tracking. He could feel the other warlock’s magic begin to crack under the force of his own. 

“Magnus, you know how much I love you, you were always meant to be my forever.”

“I know, my love. You are mine as well,” Magnus whispered, feeling his tears slip through his lashes. 

“I know it will feel impossible if I’m gone, but you can’t give up, baby. I don’t care how long it takes, I want you to love again. You deserved to be loved, Magnus. Out of anyone in this entire world, you deserve love more than anyone else.”

“Alexander, you know I can’t. You are it, I won’t love again after you because I will never stop loving you whether you are here or not,” Magnus answered making the entire family cry with him. 

Alec took a deep, painful breath and looked at the warlock holding him hostage, praying that he could see that this was real. How could this be faked or arranged? How could he not see that?

“I’m sorry, Mags. I’m sorry that I promised you forever and now we don’t even get a decade. Five years with you was beautiful and wonderful and everything I ever wanted. You are better than I could have ever imagined and then some. Aku cinta kamu,” Alec said, barely holding it together as he heard Magnus matching his hitching breath and muffled sniffles. 

The warlock holding him looked shocked. The confusion evident in his eyes as he listened to Alec break down and show more emotion than he thought a nephilim was capable of. 

“Remember that you all have each other. Don’t give up. Goodbye,” Alec said before he hung up the phone. 

“Alec! Alec?!” Izzy cried out as the phone screen went black. “Did you find him? Please tell you figured it out!” 

Alec watched as the warlock seemingly brushed underneath his eye with one of his knuckles. “Mr. Lightwood, I can’t believe I am saying this, but I am sorry. I was convinced that the Shadow World wasn’t changing. I don’t think any of that could have been faked and it was evident how much Bane cares for you. I’ll let them find you, it seems as though they can’t part with you or you with them. I should have listened when they said you were a good man, I truly am sorry for doing this to Magnus,” he said lacking all of the previous confidence. 

“It’s Lightwood-Bane and you won’t get away with this. I hope you know that,” Alec whispered back, feeling as if he was breathing through water instead of air.

“I already said I’m sorry, shadowhunter. I won’t be going down for this as well. Enjoy your life with Bane,” the warlock replied before hitting Alec with a wave a magic that knocked him out and dropped the wards. The warlock portalled out as soon as he could and never looked back. 

“I know where he is,” Magnus said, his voice nervous because the wards would really only drop if Alec was supposed to be found, dead or alive. 

“He’s still alive, we know that right now,” Maryse said as she reached out to squeeze his hand and motioned to Jace’s very visible parabatai rune. Magnus waved open a portal and directed the others through. Izzy and Max clamored through and saw Alec, alone in an open room, strapped down to a chair, unmoving with his head hung to his chest. 

“Alec, can you hear me?” Izzy asked, her voice loud and her hands holding Alec’s face. “Magnus, what happened to him? Is he injured?” 

Magnus’ blue magic scanned over Alec while Jace had his arms wrapped around himself as he spoke. “Something is definitely wrong with his ribs, my chest is heavy so he must feel like he’s drowning,” Jace said, making Clary reach over and draw an iratze on his side. 

“Jace is right, a few of his ribs are cracked and two are broken. It must have punctured his lung,” Magnus said as he removed the cuffs and ran a hand through Alec’s hair. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his husband’s to steady himself before letting blue tendrils of magic run from his fingers into Alec’s chest. 

Alec, although still unconscious, released a healthy breath instead of agitated huffs and the entire room sighed in relief. Magnus continued to run his hands through Alec’s hair while trying to rouse him with magic. Slowly, Alec came to, his eyelids fluttering and his hands instinctively grabbing for the body in front of him. “Magnus..”

“Yes, darling,” Magnus whispered back with a tone of laughter in his voice and happy tears threatening his eyes. “I’m here, you’re okay,” he added as he pulled Alec into him for a desperate embrace, both gripping each other tightly. Magnus kissed Alec’s shoulder as he clung to him and whispered reassurance that he was alright. 

“You found me,” Alec said a little louder, more confident that he was conscious and healthy again.

“Of course, we did, darling. Nothing could ever stop me from being with you,” Magnus answered, his voice thick with emotion.

The family gave the couple some time to hold each other, but Izzy and Jace were both anxious to hug their big brother. As if Magnus could hear their thoughts, he stepped back and let the siblings move in. Jace just held on silently while Izzy processed everything verbally. 

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane, there will never be another one of those phone calls or so help me Raziel, I will find you and tear to apart with my own two hands!” she declared as she held his hand so tight that it could break. 

“I’m sorry, Iz. I couldn’t go without saying goodbye,” Alec said as he looked between his family members with a sad, apologetic face. 

“Well, I refuse to ever say goodbye to you so looks like you aren’t going anywhere,” Izzy cut back, more upset than angry as tears spilled over. 

Alec leaned over and pulled her into his side to press a kiss into her hair as agreement with Izzy’s statement was added around the room from his family. Max came over with Maryse and joined the Lightwood group hug while Clary wiped the tears from her eyes. 

“I meant every word I said, life threatened or not. I love you, all of you,” Alec said to everyone while he maintained eye contact with Magnus who smiled back to him. 

Magnus blew him a kiss and replied for everyone, “And we love you, darling.”

\---

Three days later, Alec was spread out on the couch at home while flipping through some reports. Magnus had been out all morning with a client and tonight they were headed out to dinner with Cat and Madzie to make up for their missed dinner date so they had an afternoon to lounge around. Alec heard the door open and close so he called out, “How was your client, Mags?” 

“Lachlan Black,” Magnus responded as he handed Alec a folded piece of paper and leaned in for his welcome home kiss. 

“No, not who, babe. How?” Alec chuckled back as he opened the paper to see the warlock that had taken him hostage. 

“Well, darling, my ‘client’ is now in the depths of the spiral labyrinth awaiting his charges for breaking the accords,” Magnus answered before sitting beside Alec and taking his hand. 

Alec looked back up with wide eyes and then back at the paper. “You found him? Already?” 

“His magical signature was all over the building. I tracked him with the cuffs he left on you. You’d think a man that has been alive that long would be smart, however, he also went through with abducting you so maybe not,” Magnus responded, annoyed at the warlock who imposed on his husband. 

“What are you suggesting they do with him?” Alec asked, his diplomatic favor ever-present in his voice. 

“What would you prefer we do with him?” Magnus responded. He truly cared about Alec’s opinion on this as a leader and as the victim. 

“Honestly, I would like for you to talk to him by yourself. Yes, what he did was wrong, but he was convinced of your past and distrusting of shadowhunters. All valid things when considering what warlocks as a whole have experienced in their long lives. Me wanting him locked up and left for dead is no better than the nephilim that came before me,” Alec said openly, the look of determination on his face. 

“Alexander, I love your kindness and continuous want to be better, but that is much too gracious. Yes, shadowhunters used to be cruel and unforgiving, but he tried to kill you.” Magnus squeezed Alec’s hand tight in his own.

Alec sighed and raised their joined hands to press a kiss to Magnus’ knuckles. “He thought I was using you and our marriage was arranged. He thought he was saving you from the Clave. Deep down, his intentions were genuine and with you in mind.” 

“We briefly knew each other two hundred years ago when I was in London with Ragnor. That does not give him some odd, stalkerish claim on me to kill my husband, arranged or not. He deserves to be punished for this, that is in the accords.”

“Magnus, you have to look at this as if it was not me. Just consider that for a second. If it was another shadowhunter, would you or would you not at least hear him out? As a leader, would you let him plead his case and explain himself?” Alec asked, not trying to frustrate Magnus but to be as fair as possible. 

Magnus huffed in stubborness and looked at Alec with raised eyebrows. “Sometimes, I hate how good you are at this whole leadership thing.”

“Okay, sure,” Alec replied with a smirk and a kiss to Magnus’ cheek. “It really does need to be you that he talks to though. The only reason he left was our conversation on the phone. He wasn’t convinced when it was just me talking, but when heard us both crying, I think he realized it was genuine. He thought he was doing a good thing, Mags, for you. I can appreciate that.” 

Magnus cupped Alec’s face in both hands and pressed a firm kiss to his mouth. “I will go talk to him this afternoon.” 

Alec smiled and kissed him again. “Great plan, I’ll be here waiting and then we can enjoy dinner tonight with no worries.”

“I like the sound of that,” Magnus replied with a smile. 

“Bye Mags,” Alec said while leaning in for one more quick kiss when Magnus pulled back and looked at him with a tight grimace.

“Not goodbye, never goodbye, we are striking that word from our vocabulary. Just say see you later or be safe or anything else...please,” Magnus said, his voice stern but pained. 

Alec just nodded with a matching sadness in his face. “Alright, I’m sorry, no more goodbyes. How about I love you instead?” 

“Now that I will gladly take any time. I love you too,” Magnus replied, finally returning Alec’s kiss before he got up from the couch. 

Alec’s expression formed into a loving smile as he squeezed Magnus’ hand one more time before letting go. “Be careful, handsome. Come home safe.”

Magnus blew him a kiss and opened a portal in their living room. “For you, darling, always.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been away for awhile. I've been working on some longer works lately with more personal meaning that have been a little more difficult to write and finish. I promise I'm not gone, just taking my time! This is an idea I had a few days ago that I took a break to write. I'm hoping that by the end of the month, my other projects will be ready to post too!


End file.
